Ventilating louver



Jan. 21, 1969 5, 5, TARNOFF I 3,422,744

VENTILATING LOUVER Sheet Filed April 24, 1967 2 1969 s. s. TARNOFF 3,422,744

VENTILATING LOUVER Sheet Filed April 24, 1967 f'ezwjk? fi Tear-20,41

United States Patent 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A louver for use in building ventilation for exhausting smoke or air from the building interior and for the admission of light and air comprising a generally rectangular frame having top, bottom and opposed side members and shelves on the side members for supporting a plurality of louver blades in a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots in the shelves. The louver blades have lateral projections abutting the side member shelves so as to prevent movement of the blades relative to the frame.

Background 0 the invention This invention relates to louvers for use in ventilating buildings in which a plurality of louver blades are secured in a frame without the use of fasteners or welding.

Louvers, of course, have long been used in buildings for the intake or exhaust of air. Such louvers are constructed by fixedly securing a plurality of metal louver blades in a metal frame having, usually, a rectangular shape. The attachment of the blades to the frame has been generally accomplished by using fasteners such as nails, rivets or screws, and in some instances by welding. This construction has a number of disadvantages, not the least of which is the expensive materials and labor. Such prior art louvers are also deficient in the lack of structural rigidity.

Summary The above-mentioned problems are solved by a louver wherein the blades are fixedly secured to the frame without the use of fasteners, welding or other complex methods of attachment. The frame side members are provided with longitudinally and vertically extending shelves having slots suitably located therein for receiving a louver blade in a positon inclined to the vertical. Each blade is provided with at least one lateral projection supported near the blade side edge for abutting the side member shelf to prevent movement of the blade relative to the shelf and to provide structural integrity.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a louver constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation sectional view of one embodiment of a louver constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective sectional view of the louver shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial top sectional elevational view of the louver shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevation view of the frame of the louver shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a partial front sectional elevation view of the frame shown in FIGURE 5, taken along the line 66;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation sectional view of a second embodiment of a louver constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a partial front elevation view of the louver shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a portion of the louver blade shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a partial top sectional elevational view of the louver shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 is a partial front sectional elevation view of the frame of the louver shown in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 12 is a partial side elevation view of the frame shown in FIGURE 11; and

FIGURE 13 is a side elevation sectional view of a third embodiment of a louver constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a louver 20 comprising a rectangular frame 22 and a plurality of louver blades 24 secured in frame 22. Frame 22 includes top member 26, bottom member 28 and opposed side members 30 and 32 which define a frame plane. Each of the side members 28 and 30 include at least one longitudinally extending shelf, such as 34, integrally formed on the side member or mounted thereon parallel to the frame plane. The frame 22 is suitably provided for mounting in a building wall (not shown). Each of the side members, as well as the top and bottom members include a lip 36 extending inwardly from the front and rear edge of each of the side members parallel to shelf 34, to provide structural rigidity as well as aesthetic appeal.

Each of the blades comprising the plurality of louver blades 24 are secured to side members 30 and 32 so as to be diagonally oriented or inclined with respect to the frame plane and to side members 30 and 32. The blades are vertically spaced and preferably are substantially parallel, and diagonally oriented such that a pair of adjacent blades, such as 38 and 40, will obscure the building interior when the louver is viewed normally.

FIGURES 2 through 6 show one embodiment of a louver comprising a frame side member 42 having two longitudinally extending spaced-apart parallel shelves 44 and 46 integrally formed on or secured to side member 42. Each of the shelves 44 and 46 include a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart slots, one of which is shown on each of the shelves 44 and 46 and designated by the reference numerals 4'8 and 50, respectively. The slots 48 and 50 are staggered, or longitudinally spaced-apart, so that a fiat blade inserted in such slots will be oriented at a desired incline. The plurality of blades comprising the louver being all identical, it will be sufiicient to describe one of such blades shown generally by the reference numeral 52.

The blade 52 is preferably extruded from aluminum and generally comprises a main longitudinally extending section 54 having longitudinal edges 56 and 58 and side edges, one of which is shown and indicated by the reference numeral 60, in FIGURE 3. The blade 52 additionally includes side end portions, one of which is shown in FIGURE 3 and identified with the reference numeral 62. The blade 52 supports two lateral projections 64 and 66 on the lower surface 68 of the blade. Lateral projections 64 and 66 are defined by inverted U-shaped elements 68 and 70, respectively. The element 68 comprises a pair of legs 72 and 74 and a slot 76. The element 70 comprises a pair of legs 78 and 80 and a slot 82.

The blade 52 also includes a rain barrier 84 laterally projecting from the upper surface 86 of blade 52 which prevents water from running up the inclined blade into the building interior.

The blade main section 54 has a pair of blade extensions 88 and 90 attached angularly to the plane of main section 54 at opposite longitudinal edges 56 and 58, respectively. Each of the extensions 88 and 90 comprises a vertically disposed element 92 and 94, respectively, and

horizontally disposed elements 06 and 98, respectively.

Side member 42 additionally includes a pair of longitudinally extending pair of lips 100 and 102 at the front and rear edges, 104 and 106, of side member 42. Lips 100 and 102 are in contact with blade extension vertical elements 92 and 94 respectively to provide additional rigidity to the louver.

Blade 52 includes two wire screen supporting means, the first supporting means 108 being supported on the upper surface 86 of blade 52 and the second screen supporting means 110 being supported on the lower surface of blade 52.

To assemble the louver, each of the blade end portions 62 are tightly end-wise inserted into opposing frame side member shelf slots so that the side edge 60 of each blade abuts the frame side member 42. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the lateral projections 64 and 66 abut the shelves 44 and 46, respectively; each of the inverted U- shaped element slots 76 and 82 receiving the portion of the shelves 44 and 46 next adjacent the slots 48 and 50, respectively.

It will readily be seen from the above description that the louver blades are secured in the frame without the use of bolts, screws, nails, rivets or welding. The blades are prevented from moving relative to the frame in a diagonal direction by the abutment of the blade lateral projections with the frame side member shelves. While the abutment of the blade vertical extension elements 92 and 94 with the side member lips 100 and 102 will add to the structural rigidity of the louver, such contact is not mandatory and the frame side members may be constructed without the lips 100 and 102.

Mounted between each pair of adjacent blades, such as 52 and 52a (the lower portion of which is shown in FIGURE 2) is a wire screen 112, preferably of an open mesh. The screen 112 is supported in a substantially horizontal position by screen supporting means 108 and 110a. Screen 112 functions to prevent birds or debris from entering the interior of the building between adjacent louver blades.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 through 12, there is shown a portion of another louver embodiment preferably constructed from steel for use where a more rigorous structure is required. The frame of the second louver embodiment is the same in all respects to that described in relation to the previous embodiment. As seen in FIG- URE 10, the difference in material gives rise to a change in the manner of forming or shaping the frame side member 120 but the configuration of the frame is the same, comprising a side member 120 including two longitudinally extending parallel spaced-apart shelves 122 and 124 integrally formed on side member 120 and having longitudinally spaced-apart slots, one of which is shown for each of the shelves 122 and 124 designated with the reference numerals 126 and 128, respectively.

A longitudinally extending louver blade 130 is mounted in the frame side member slots 126 and 128 as shown best in FIGURE 7 and may best be described by reference to its cross sectional shape. Blade 130 comprises a central web section 132 and a pair of end web sections 134 and 136. A first laterally projecting section 138 is joined between one end of central web section 132 and end web section 134. End web section 134 is parallel to and laterally displaced in one direction from central web section 132. A second laterally projecting section 140 is angularly joined at one end to the other end of central web section 132 and at its other end to one end of end web section 136. End web section 136 is laterally displaced in an opposite direction from and parallel to central web section 132. The inter-section of intermediate section 138 and end web section 134 defines a junction 142 and the intersection between intermediate section 140 and end web section 136 defines a junction 144.

Angularly mounted on the end of end web sections 134 and 136 are straight sections 146 and 148, respectively, to which are joined horizontal straight sections 150 and 152, respectively. Frame side member is provided with integral front and rear lips, 154 and 156, parallel to shelves 122 and 124 so that blade straight sections 146 and 148 are in abutment therewith.

As seen best in FIGURE 7, the junctions 142 and 144 of blade are horizontally spaced-apart when the blade 130 is mounted in frame side member 120 so that the distance is substantially equal to the distance between side member shelves 122 and 124, respectively. Preferably, the horizontal distance between the junctions is slightly less than the distance between the shelves so that the blade is inserted in the shelf slots 126 and 128 with a tight fit requiring a minute deformation of the cross-sectional shape of blade 130.

Referring now to FIGURE 13, there is shown another louver embodiment preferably extruded from aluminum and identical in many respects to the embodiment above shown and described in FIGURES 2 through 6. The louver includes a frame side member shelf having a single shelf 162 integrally formed on side member 160 and parallel to the frame plane. Shelf 162 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart slots one of which is shown and designated by reference numeral 164. A pair of lips 166 and 168 are formed on the front and rear edges of frame side member 160.

A plurality of blades, one of which is shown and designated by the reference numeral 170 are inserted in the frame side member shelf slots 164. Louver blade 170 comprises a main section 172 having longitudinal edges 174 and 176 to which are joined blade extensions 178 and 180, respectively. Blade extension 178 and 180 each include a vertically disposed straight element 182 and 184, respectively, and horizontally disposed elements 186 and 188, respectively. Blade 170 additionally includes lateral projection 190 comprising a U-shaped element 192 including legs 194 and 196 and slot 198 depending from lower blade surface 200. On the upper surface 202 of blade 170 is mounted a rain barrier 204 laterally projecting from the plane of blade 170.

The assembly of blade 170 with frame side member 160 is the same as that in the previous description of the first embodiment shown in FIGURES 2 through 6.

While there has been shown and described the fundamental novel features of this invention as applied to the particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the invention therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and reasonable equivalents thereof.

I claim:

1. A louver comprising in combination:

a rectangular frame having top, bottom, and opposed side members defining a plane, each of said side members having two parallel spaced-apart longitudinally extending shelves parallel to said frame plane, each of said shelves having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots; and

a plurality of louver blades having side end portions inserted in opposing side member shelf slots so that said blades are oriented diagonally relative to said frame plane, each of said louver blades having a longitudinally extending central section and a pair of parallel longitudinally extending end sections, said end sections joined to said central section by laterally projecting sections disposed angularly and in opposite directions to said central section so that said end sections are laterally offset in opposite directions from the plane of said central section, each of said laterally projecting sections abutting one of said side member shelves so as to prevent movement of said blade relative to said frame.

5 6 2. The louver of claim 1 wherein each of said blade tive to said frame plane, each of said blades having laterally projecting sections are angularly disposed with two lateral projections defined by longitudinally exrespect to said central section at an angle of no more tending inverted U-shaped elements fixedly supported than 90. on the lower surface of each of said blades and 3. The louver of claim 2 wherein the transverse disreceiving one of said side member slotted shelves so tance between the junction of said longitudinally extending 5 as to prevent movement of said blade relative to said end sections and said laterally projecting sections, when frame.

said blades are inserted in said frame so as to be diago- References Cited nally oriented, is substantially equal to the horizontal UNITED STATES PATENTS distance :between said two slotted shelves and each of said 10 junctions abutting one of said shelves, 1,018,215 2/ 1912 Stem 98-88 XR 4. A louver comprising in combination: $333 323 Ili lllae lrrgin a rectangular frame having top, bottom, and opposed i 1 e 7 side members defining a plane, eaeh f id id 3,021,773 2/1962 Slatkorski 98-121 members having two parallel spaced-apart longitudi- 15 3,086,442 4/1963 Waldron 98-121 nally extending shelves parallel to said frame la s, 3,120,036 2/1964 Min s 98-121 XR 3,267,834 8/1966 Hackett 98l21 each of said shelves having a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots; and j a plurality of louver blades, each of said blades having ROBERT O LEARY "nary Exammer a longitudinally extending central section and a pair 20 M. A. ANT ONAKAS, Assistant Examiner. of integrally connected longitudinally extending coplanar sections, the side end portions of each of said blades being inserted in opposing side member shelf 3 slots so that said blades are oriented diagonally rela- 

